She's Not Afraid Of Needles
by Eria
Summary: Set forward to her last year of law school, Haruhi's fallen in love. How does she deal with it?
1. Haruhi's Love

**_Author's Notes_**_: Attack of a crazy dream! Now this isn't what happened in the dream, but was inspired by the dream I had. I owe my thanks to my subconscious for all its delightful ideas. :D _

_I do hope you enjoy!_

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><p>Haruhi was in law school when it hit her. One day, she was reading the newspaper and his face was framed on the front page. It was like a reflex when her chest tightened, and she suddenly recalled the moments in high school back then the time she had spent with him. Was that glance at the newspaper photo and her reaction what they called love at first sight? <em>Preposterous<em>, she thought confidently, _I'm not in love_.

It turned out that the feeling didn't go away. Everywhere she looked she found things to associate to him. No matter what she was doing or who she was with her thoughts kept going back to him. She hadn't spoken to him in ages, thinking it was kinder than constantly meeting that now-obvious love-stricken friend for lunch.

Only now that she was in love with him did she realize how naively cruel her choice had been for him. It must have been hard for him to keep silent about his feelings since she had shot him down so efficiently without realizing it. Back then, she was never aware of the hidden message when a friendly guy tried to confess his attraction to her. Even Renge in her strange way had tried to explain it to her by handing her the 11th issue of the_ Moe Moe Ouran Journal_. Instead, what she had learned at the time was that Renge's perception of the world was _very_ different.

Likewise, those feelings affected her sleep, mood, and appetite. These symptoms all pointed to one possible cause: lovesickness. Her friends and classmates began to notice the difference in her attitude, but she turned away from them when they offered her help. She could handle it on her own. She'd had enough of people meddling with her social life back in high school.

Weeks had passed, and her grade had slipped too much for her to ignore it any longer. She knew what she had to do.

Carefully applying makeup, Haruhi covered up the toll that lovesickness had taken. With a brush of liquid foundation and powdered pigments, her pale face and bruised under-eyes were transformed into a healthier appearance. She inspected her work, and then her teeth and breath. She heeded her hairdo and the makeup as she slipped the professional business suit on like it was armor. Adjusting the thick, navy blue tights, she slipped on her matching flats. Finally, picking up her briefcase, she locked her door and headed to the train station with a destination firmly in mind.

The timing had been deliberate. It was neither lunch rush or afternoon rush hour yet, so her presentation would remain pristine and untouched in the subway.

Before long, she was outside hailing a taxi. She watched the familiar sights go by as anticipation and anxiety welled up within her. And then she was there. She paid the taxi driver and tipped him, turning to look up at the high traditional walls capped in blue tile surrounding the large multi-building compound.

She took a deep breath and steeled herself as if she were going into court to persuade the judge to agree with her clients' claims based on all the evidence. She'd practiced the mindset enough to know she needed that inner strength now. _But what if he's not interested?_ She shook her head, knowing that he still unmarried based off the public records she'd seen. _If I don't go in there, I'll never know,_ she thought determinedly.

They must have had surveillance cameras because the giant polished wooden gate opened before she could even knock between the brass rings.

"Lady Fujioka! Why, we weren't expecting you!" Wearing an open kimono and baggy pants, a lean man with a ponytail of dirty blonde hair smiled down at her. "What can I do for you?"

She ignored the respect that he'd added unnecessarily to her name. Her lineage had no hidden nobility in it. She thought it might be rude to insist that he'd stop and she didn't want to offend her when she desperately wanted to talk to someone inside. "Is your Master busy?" At the frown on his face, she added hastily, "if he is, I can come at a later time."

"No, no. Please come in. " He led her down the stone tiled courtyard that had to have been recently swept, considering that it was fall and the trees were still holding dry leaves in their branches. She tried not to gawk at the enormity of the property as he opened the front door shoji for her entrance. "Would Lady Fujioka like some tea?"

"Yes, please... Tetsuya-san...?"

"You remember? I'm flattered, Lady Fujioka."

She smiled as she was led through the front door and slipped her flats off in the large stone-floor foyer. "I'm sorry for the sudden intrusion."

"No worries, Lady Fujioka. Master will be here soon." He opened the shoji to a large room with a single table for guests. "Is there anything else you'd like?"

"No, just tea." Placing her briefcase next to her, she sat, carefully smoothing out her skirt, and stared at the beautiful cherry wood table as the shoji to her left shut behind him. There was a smell in the air that reminded her of a dojo. Clean, but used to holding a lot of sweaty people.

Quietly, she let out the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. Inside she was terrified. Her palms were already clammy and her heart was pounding away.

The shoji in front of her opened, and the man she'd been pining for was dressed in traditional clothing, his red hair brushed back and his piercing brown eyes on her. "Welcome, Fujioka-san. What can I do for you?" His eyes were harder than she remembered and he didn't give a smile so easily as he sat down calmly.

Her heart threatened to implode. "That is... I have a problem."

She paused too long to extrapolate because he suddenly slammed his hands on the table. "If there's a baby, I'll take care of it properly! No one will know it's yours!"

Haruhi stared as laughter bubbled up inside her head and raised her hands up defensively managing to keep a straight face. "Ah... that's not it."

Letting out a deep breath of relief, Kasanoda sat back. "I apologize for my rash assumption... I haven't seen you in years so I had assumed the worst." He looked at her warily. "You're not here to ask me to kill someone, are you?"

Her eyes widened and she shook her head vehemently, waving her hands back and forth. "No! Nothing like that." She sighed, wondering if this were a good idea now, and forced her hands to go back into her lap properly. "I came to apologize for the way I've treated you in the past."

He stared. "I don't know why you felt the need, since you've done nothing to offend me."

"Maybe so... but I've fallen in love so I understand now that I've been cruel to you. Even if it was unintentional, I need to apologize for my actions."

At the mention of the word 'love', his shoulders stiffened and a ganster settled in firmly behind his eyes. His hurt and betrayal were apparent even though he meant to suppress it. He still loved her. She could tell for sure now. "I see. Then the wedding...?"

"He doesn't even know that I love him."

The shoji opened then from the right and Tetsuya came in with tea cups and a pot full of a fresh brew. "I hope green tea is alright. I made it strong just like the Master likes." Tetsuya set the cups and poured the tea. "Enjoy. I'll bring in some sticky buns once the cook hands them to me."

"Thank you, Testuya," came Kasanoda's gruff reply.

Once the shoji had shut again, Kasanoda pinned her with a glare. "Why are you really here?"

She straightened her tense shoulders and lifted her jaw up proudly. "I'm in love with Kasanoda Ritsu." There was a crash outside of the shoji on the right and frantic whispering and shushing all around them.

The sharp gaze had dropped down to stare at the tea. "You do realize I'm a Yakuza Lord and if we married you would be the Mistress of the Clan."

"Aaaaneee-saaa-" The cry was cut off suddenly as there was a scuffle beyond the shoji, and the muffled noises of men tried to shush the excited murmurs of other men.

Haruhi took a sip of the tea and set it down calmly, pretending she hadn't heard. "I am aware, and I will take full responsibility if you're willing to accept me into the Kasanoda Clan." She looked up at a small noise.

Kasanoda was crying tears of joy, his flushed face looking so harsh even then. "I am more than willing to oblige you, Fujioka Haruhi."

She blushed and looked down as her stomach fluttered expectantly. "Of course, we'll have to elope if you want to get married right away. I have to finish school first, and my father is also very protective of me, you see."

"Whatever you wish."

She smiled as she picked up her briefcase and returned to her feet. "I graduate in six months. We'll have a wedding then. If that's alright with you?"

His face regained its normal coloring as he stood up as well, drying his face. "You're absolutely positive that you want to do this? Wouldn't you like to date first?"

"We'll have time enough for that later, won't we?"

"Ye-yes," he stuttered his face going red again.

Her smile brightened. "Then," she leaned in on her tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek. "I have a lot of work to do until then, dear." At the look on his face she bit at the inside of her cheek with a frown. "Is 'dear' not okay? Should I have called you-"

"N-no. That's perfect. It's perfect." He stepped closer to her and pressed a kiss to her cheek. "We'll have a proper wedding in six months, in April. I'll make sure all the arrangements are in place..." He held out a hand palm up, expectantly.

She placed her free hand into his. "Why do you look worried?"

"If you ever feel like calling this off, then let me know. Even if it's a month, or a day, before the wedding." The look still hadn't left his face though.

She frowned at him. "No one's going to attack me now that I've betrothed myself to you in secret."

"Some of my men talk when they get drunk, even though I've told them to stay away from alcohol. I'd feel better if you had an escort." He snapped a finger and the shoji opened. "Tetsuya."

"Already packed and ready to go, Master." The man hoisted the duffle-bag on his back. "We shouldn't keep her waiting. I'm sure she's got a schedule to keep."

Her fiance nodded.

Haruhi noticed Tetsuya had changed attire. Now he looked just like any college student she'd seen around the Commons area. His long hair had been trimmed to a more appropriate hairstyle and his piercings were gone.

"If I bring you home, people will think we're dating," she stated coolly having zero interest in him.

"That's the point, isn't it?" He winked at her. "Perfect cover!"

"Be careful with my future wife, you." Kasanoda Ritsu crossed his arms in an intimidating manner.

"Naturally, Master! I'll keep Ane-sama safe!"

"Hey, I'm not married yet."

He clapped his hands together and bowed his head with a goofy grin on his face. "My apologies, Lady Fujioka."

She turned back to the man who made her heart leap into her throat. "Until spring, then?"

Kasanoda nodded, his face splitting into a happy smile. "Remember what I said. If it gets to be too much-"

"I understand."

After slipping on her shoes, she stepped out of the front door and was surprised to see the pathway lined with men ranging in age from late teens to mid-50s lounging around, for lack of a better word. When they saw her, as one they spread their legs to crouch with their hands on their thighs and bowed their heads. "Lady-sama! Good afternoon!"

She had no idea what to say as she walked between these lines of men. "Good afternoon?"

With a bewildered look on her face, Haruhi glanced behind her. The front doors were already shut. Maybe this was what he'd meant when he warned her. She glanced at Tetsuya, who just smiled.

"Lady-sama, have a safe trip!" came the loud call.

"Have a safe trip!" came the resounding repetition.

"Thanks," her quiet voice managed to pierce the silence so easily in that large space.

"Lady-sama, we thank you for your efforts at work today!"

"We thank you for your efforts at work today!"

She stopped walking. Tetsuya blinked and looked back at her. With a strict look on her face, she turned and put her hands on her hips. "I'm going to school, _not _work."

"Forgive us!" They replied immediately as if from habit.

Raising an eyebrow, she made sure she looked unimpressed. "Please say it correctly."

"La-lady-sama, we thank you for your efforts at w-school today!"

"We thank you for your efforts at school today!"

She smiled at them, turning to leave with Tetsuya, who opened the door for her to enter a black car.

Her father was going to flip out when he found out what she'd done.

**End.**

__If you don't remember Kasanoda's character, watch anime episodes 22 & 23!__

_Glossary:_

_shoji _Traditional Japanese sliding doors

_yakuza_ Japanese mafia

_-sama_ This denotes upmost respect for a person

_Ane-sama_ Literally means _honorable elder sister_


	2. Father's Shock

**_Author's Note_**_: I tried to leave it as a one-shot, but the plot kept bothering me. So here you all are. There's another chapter in the works too. -sighs and removes from Complete list- Thank you all who've reviewed.  
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><p><strong>Three months later...<strong>

Ranka was having a fantastic day off from work. He figured he'd finish the day with a surprise visit to his daughter!

Holding the box of sweets, Ranka waited patiently until Haruhi opened the door.

The door opened, and a young, shirtless man with only a pair of boxers on was standing in its frame. Ranka lowered his voice dangerously, "Where is my daughter?"

The dirty blond-haired man had the nerve to smile innocently at him. "She's studying now, sir. Would you like to come in for tea?"

At least the good-looking guy had manners despite his lack of attire. Ranka walked in, setting his parcels down and flipped his hair back menacingly. "Now, who the hell are you?"

"Tetsuya, sir." The young fellow had efficiently set some tea to brew in a teacup next to Ranka.

"Why are you here?" Haruhi's father asked coolly, only just restraining his temper.

The young man laughed as if he'd told a joke. "We're not dating, if that's your concern." He smiled and placed a hand over his heart as if he were about to make a sincere pronouncement. "I'm her bodyguard."

Choking, the cross-dresser stood to his full height and glared at the seated young man. "As if I'd believe that!" He roared down at the young man who'd _obviously_ taken advantage of his lovely Haruhi's innocent obliviousness that she'd inherited from her mother.

He kicked a barefoot out, tripping and pinning the man to the ground. "Learn your place! I'll call a _very_ close friend of mine to send a small army over here to kick you out, you disgraceful punk! That is, if they don't put you in a bodybag for sullying my daughter!"

"Ah, you're mad that I answered the door half-dressed, Fujioka-san?" Despite having a foot planted firmly on his chest, this 'Testuya' hadn't even batted an eye. "It's a cover. Her classmates believe we're dating, but she's really not my type, and even if I leaned that way my boss would kill me if I made our 'fake' relationship more realistic."

With a sour look at the mention of a plausible excuse, Ranka ground his foot in for good measure. "Tell me the truth, you little punk! There's no way Haruhi would ever keep a secret from me! She must be embarrassed by you!"

"Dad! Cut it out!"

Lifting his foot off the bare chest, Ranka turned his head to look at the beautiful woman his daughter had become as that detestable man made himself scarce, crawling to get out of the room.

His daughter looked resolute and her eyes held a passion he hadn't seen since her first crush with that Suoh idiot.

"I'm engaged."

With a heave of his arms, Ranka gave her a heartbroken expression. "And when were you going to tell me, young lady?! Why didn't you say anything?!"

"It's supposed to be a secret. We're getting married after I graduate."

"_Ha-ru-hi_, were you even going to tell your dear old papa about this?"

Haruhi sighed heavily at him. "I was eventually, but I avoided it because I knew you'd overreact."

"What do you mean overreact?! I'm not overreacting! I knock on your door and this attractive man I've never met opens the door! How else am I supposed to react? And who is this man you say you're going to marry?! And why would you need a bodyguard?! If it's so dangerous to live here, _why_ didn't your fiancé arrange a new place for you?"

Haruhi just smiled gracefully at him, stepping forward. She placed her hand on his arm. "I'm sorry, Dad. I'll explain it all, but we shouldn't talk here. The neighbors will hear."

Just with her gentle touch and her calm explanation, the fight died down inside Ranka's heart. His precious daughter always pacified his temper.

"Excuse me. There's a car waiting to take us to the residence, sir." Tetsuya reappeared, wearing a bandage on his face, a green sweatshirt hoodie, black baggy pants, and gray sneakers.

Haruhi pulled on her jacket over her drab, comfortable clothes and looped an arm through Ranka's left. "Come on, Dad. You'll see he's a nice guy."

The black, shiny foreign-made car looked out-of-place in the apartment complex's garage. A chauffeur hopped out of the car and opened it for their entry. When Ranka sent Haruhi a questioning look, she gestured towards the door. Ranka was pleased with himself that he was able to sit between the two. True to effect, Tetsuya seemed more alert to what was going on outside of the vehicle than his lovely Haruhi's cute face.

"Are you going to tell your Daddy where we are going before his blood pressure drops too low, sweetie?" He asked as the car pulled out of the garage totally freaked that any outrageous dowry he'd demand would be met with ease if the price of the vehicle he was in was any indication. There was no way he could stop the wedding if he found the man lacking.

"Dad, you know how Grandma and Grandpa disowned you for working at a gay bar?"

Ranka's face fell. "Sweetie, nothing you can do would ever make your Daddy do that to you."

"I've fallen in love with a yakuza lord."

Even as the ordinary scenery moved by outside the windows, his world screeched to a halt. "You _what_?" _Oh my god, she's going to become an Ane-san! _"My beautiful Haruhi, " he cried out, "You can't seriously be—You're teasing your Daddy. That's so cruel! Daddy doesn't like this joke too much!" He pressed a flat hand to his chest as he felt his chest grow heavy.

"It's not a joke..." She leaned forward some in her seat and looked up at his face. "Dad, are you alright? You're not having a heart attack are you?"

He was imagining a terribly ugly, fearsome man, who's overprotectiveness was only exceeded by his inability to say no to Haruhi's cute, demanding face. "No. No. Oh nooooo," he moaned.

"Dad," Haruhi's voice began to scold, "Whatever you're imagining is worse than reality."

"You owe him money, don't you? Oh, Kami-sama, I shouldn't have let you live out on your own. I'm so sorry. This is all my fault."

Haruhi sighed heavily. "I got a full ride scholarship to the University, remember? It pays for living and transportation expenses too. There's no way I would even go to a scalper. We're in love so it's not a big deal—"

Ranka clutched his purse and gaped at his daughter. "Not a big deal?" He parroted, "_NOT A BIG DEAL?!"_

Having stuck a pinky in her ear to prevent hearing loss and turned her face away, Haruhi looked apathetic to her dear daddy's concerns! Meanwhile, the car had slowed as it pulled through an old district of Tokyo.

"And you!" Ranka directed to the uninterested Tetsuya next to him, "You're part of a gang then! I should have known," Ranka moaned out again. "Haruhi, you'll ruin your legal career tying yourself to a syndicate like this! Why couldn't you have settled for one of your high school classmates, like those Hitachiin brothers or that ever-charming Morinozuka fellow? Or even your idiot of an ex! I could have handled even that one!"

"I never had anything more than little crushes with them, and you know I had to get a restraining order on Tamaki when he kept harassing me with needless gifts and phone calls."

Ranka glanced out the window and saw that the scenery had changed to a long wall of off-white plaster, topped in blue tile. "_Anyone_ else would have been better. I was part of a syndicate in my troubled youth, so I should know."

In the dead silence, the car stopped. Tetsuya raised an interested eyebrow.

Haruhi was blinking. "_You_ were part of a gang?"

"Let's not talk about this okay, sweetie, when a yakuza lord is impatiently waiting for our appearance." With shaking hands, Ranka quickly primped his hair and slipped more lipstick on.

"Dad, it's going to be okay. He's one of my former classmates from Ouran Academy," his daughter stated simply as she left the comfort of the luxurious car.

Standing next to her as he was shepherded forward by the loop of his daughter's arm, Ranka's eyes grew huge at the placard declaring that the compound was owned by none other than the Kasanoda Syndicate, the number one gang in their area!

His daughter gave him the lawyer smile, which was somewhat patronizing, as she pulled him through the imposing wooden gates. Like some weird page from a thug-type manga, the courtyard was filled with rough-looking men.

The wooden gates closed with a thud behind them.

As if that was their cue, the men slapped their hands on their thighs as they crouched and bowed their heads.

"Lady-sama, welcome back!"

"Welcome back!" came the resounding call.

Ranka's face froze on his face, feeling frazzled by the familiarity of it all.

"You're supposed to wait until I tell you 'I'm home'!" Haruhi scolded easily.

"We're sorry, Lady-sama!"

She frowned at her dad's stiff expression. "You'll get used to it, Dad. Come on." She yanked on their connected arms to bring him closer to the house.

"H-h-h-_haruhi_," Ranka hissed again as he was pulled through the front door.

"I'm home!" Haruhi said a little too cheerfully with a warmth that couldn't be forced.

A red-haired man, who wasn't that bad on the eyes, calmly looked at them with his arms folded in the sleeves of his dark blue kimono. "Welcome back."

After removing her shoes in an accustomed manner, Haruhi gestured to Ranka. "This is my father. He wanted to meet you."

Ranka's jaw dropped and he felt himself go pale as the mob lord bowed his head slightly in respect.

"A pleasure to mee—"

"What have you done to my daughter?!" Ranka shouted lifting a shaking finger to point at him. "You didn't even offer a proper dowry or announcement to me, her father! How _dare_ you! I ought to call Ohtori Kyouya and tell him how you've wronged my daughter and me!" Ranka shoved his hand into his purse, rummaging for his phone.

With an apologetic smile towards Ritsu, Haruhi raised her hands in a placating way, "Dad. Calm down!"

Lifting the phone to his ear with his thumb on the correct speed-dial, Ranka exclaimed, "I'll call whoever I—EAAUGH!"

Having ran deliberately light fingers up Ranka's spine, Tetsuya hit the 'cancel call' button and let it dangle by its pink nylon cord between two fingers. "The Lady-sama said not to call, Father-sama." The look was filled with murderous intent.

Ranka almost swooned and fanned himself as he caught his breath and cleared his throat. Still miffed, Ranka looked seriously at his daughter. "Tell me you love him and are not doing this as some act of defiance or for some monetary gain or other circumstance."

Haruhi squared her jaw and stared him down with complete conviction. "I'm in love with Kasanoda Ritsu."

The phone beeped notifying that voicemail had been left. "But, Haruhiiiiii!" He whined, "You don't _act_ like you're in love at all! At least be shy and bashful!"

His daughter smiled enigmatically and stepped next to Kasanoda. Without warning, she kissed him on the cheek. "How're you, dear?"

"G-great. But, we should be careful of too many more meetings or others will know." The yakuza lord cheeks flushed, and his eyes expressed a deep love as he gazed at Haruhi, whose expression had barely softened in response.

Well, at least it appeared that the godfather of the Kasanoda Syndicate was head-over-heels in love with his daughter...

"Dad had some questions for you."

"Naturally. Let's have some tea and talk it over shall we?"

Ranka glanced back at his phone, and Tetsuya smirked at him. "I'll hold on to this old man, until you're done."

"Hmph!" Ranka turned flipping his hair out at the impertinent young man.

Unfortunately, one should never leave the youngest Ohtori's phone calls unanswered.


End file.
